Tag Archive: music

Every movement in life generates music. Hustle of leaves, drops of rain, thumps of herds in the forest, bees buzzing, cricket croaking, whistle of the cop, pace of a car, as we type on the keyboard, a baby’s cry, an owl’s hoot, heart beat and the list goes on depending on the sensitivity of the musician.

Music started as means of entertainment and has now evolved into a therapeutic science for ailments and has been accepted as a divine gift for humans to realise god. Irrespective of the cultural endorsements, music in its basic sense is all about rhythm and notes.

Majority of the musical traditions compose using seven basic notes and a variety of rhythm calculations. All that differs is the style the cultural influence. Apart from the song, the type of instruments used in the composition is influenced by the cultural background. Music originated from Spain, Britain, Egypt, China, India or any other country tune into similar notes but harp, veena, violin, guitar or flute is what adds to the flavour of the song’s recipe.

The list of musical instruments is not finite, the instrument could be a conventional instrument which requires formal training or a simple tool to create music extempore. They could be persussion, wind, stringed or electronic. A long list is available on wikipedia. List of instruments.

Music is magical and depends on who and how it has been created. Kudos to the inventor of music.

How did it all start?

Singing and music has been a source of entertainment from the prehistoric times. Singing as a hobby got more serious with the evolution of different cultures around the world. Drums, bells and stringed instruments in tribal ceremonies have added charm to the tones produced by the singer.

Who picks this hobby?

Anybody with healthy vocal chords can sing. Does that mean everyone can sing anything perfectly? That may not happen. Though with training a person can sing well, it does allow every trained singer to render every song prefectly. This diversity exists because every voice is unique and the voice culture varies.

What is voice culture?

Voice culture is the way a person modulates one’s voice to generate a tone. This varies due to the singer’s cultural background, pitch limitations, accent and familiarity with the language in which the song has been written.
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Lot of children are introduced to this hobby during their early years. Voice at a tender age can be trained and moulded to suit a variety of singing styles. Apart from technical aspects, it is also believed to reorient the child’s attitude and personality in a positive way.
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Pitch, timbre, rhythm, tone and melody are some terms every singer should get acquainted with, while choosing singing as a hobby. These aspects are used differently by each singer.

Singing is not just about entertainment. Many singers opt this avocation because it leads to self discovery, is therapautic, brings out the creative genius and so on.

How to enhance my singing skills?

To enhance one’s singing skills, the singer should assess and understand their singing style and the genre they want to specialise in.

Practice a lot

Sing under the guidance of a mentor, tutor or guide

Listen to songs in the genre that you want to specialise in

Choose early hours to practice to gain a command over your voice

Practice before a mirror

Asks your friends to give their feedback

Use online forums which offer free platform for you to showcase your singing skills

Participate in school and college music festivals

Participate in singing competitions

Form a band – it is not just about singing, team up with instrumentalists to get professional